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THIS is usually the time of year perennial underachievers South Sydney announce their ambitions to win the premiership.
Expectation then gathers momentum into the annual Charity Shield, through to the start of the season in March, and it isn't long before Rabbitohs fans are left heartbroken and searching for answers after their team fails to live up to the hype.
But in his first day on the job, new coach Michael Maguire sidestepped talks of finals football, something the men in red and green have struggled to do in recent years. He is hell-bent on resurrecting the club from the ground up.
Under the Maguire regime, talk of semi-final footy is frowned upon and any mention of a grand final is a complete disregard of protocol. He's been in the hot seat for only 24 hours, but Maguire has already made his intentions clear.
In his first media appearance as South Sydney coach, Maguire - as well as Roy Asotasi and Jason Clark - was forced to field a series of questions addressing the club's chances of breaking the 40-year premiership drought.
''We're aiming to improve on everything that's happening in the club,'' Maguire said. ''That's our major goal.''
But reporters kept prodding. ''Your pack is good enough to win the comp?'' one reporter asked.
Maguire responded by saying: ''We'll soon find out''.
Former coach John Lang and forward David Taylor have both been guilty of pumping up the club's chances in the past, but they haven't been alone.
After almost half a century of disappointment for the once all-conquering club, it's natural for fans and those involved at South Sydney to yearn for premiership glory.
Despite winning a premiership in his maiden season with English Super League club Wigan last year, Maguire is refusing to place a target on his new club by calling lofty expectations so soon.
He is taking over a team that has been ravaged by injury in the past two years and heads into the pre-season without a halfback with any NRL experience.
The departure of Chris Sandow to Parramatta has left a gaping hole in the Rabbitohs' squad, with former under-20s No.7 Adam Reynolds favourite to earn the halfback jersey for round one.
Reynolds, who injured his knee in the pre-season and didn't play a game this year, will be vying for the starting spot with new recruits Ryan Carr and Justin Hunt, who both played for Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup this year.
Despite playing in South Sydney's under-20s grand final team last year, Reynolds is no certainty to fill Sandow's shoes, with Maguire indicating all players in the squad would start pre-season training on level ground. ''At the moment I don't have any names,'' Maguire said, when asked who was the leading contender to play halfback next year.
Maguire was also keen to gain a greater understanding of the Rabbitohs' proud history and suggested he could turn to club legend George Piggins, who dissociated himself from the Bunnies when Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court gained ownership of the club in 2006. ''At some stage I'll probably talk to George,'' Maguire said. ''I would love to learn more about the history of Souths.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz1cMe7Pxqc
Expectation then gathers momentum into the annual Charity Shield, through to the start of the season in March, and it isn't long before Rabbitohs fans are left heartbroken and searching for answers after their team fails to live up to the hype.
But in his first day on the job, new coach Michael Maguire sidestepped talks of finals football, something the men in red and green have struggled to do in recent years. He is hell-bent on resurrecting the club from the ground up.
Under the Maguire regime, talk of semi-final footy is frowned upon and any mention of a grand final is a complete disregard of protocol. He's been in the hot seat for only 24 hours, but Maguire has already made his intentions clear.
In his first media appearance as South Sydney coach, Maguire - as well as Roy Asotasi and Jason Clark - was forced to field a series of questions addressing the club's chances of breaking the 40-year premiership drought.
''We're aiming to improve on everything that's happening in the club,'' Maguire said. ''That's our major goal.''
But reporters kept prodding. ''Your pack is good enough to win the comp?'' one reporter asked.
Maguire responded by saying: ''We'll soon find out''.
Former coach John Lang and forward David Taylor have both been guilty of pumping up the club's chances in the past, but they haven't been alone.
After almost half a century of disappointment for the once all-conquering club, it's natural for fans and those involved at South Sydney to yearn for premiership glory.
Despite winning a premiership in his maiden season with English Super League club Wigan last year, Maguire is refusing to place a target on his new club by calling lofty expectations so soon.
He is taking over a team that has been ravaged by injury in the past two years and heads into the pre-season without a halfback with any NRL experience.
The departure of Chris Sandow to Parramatta has left a gaping hole in the Rabbitohs' squad, with former under-20s No.7 Adam Reynolds favourite to earn the halfback jersey for round one.
Reynolds, who injured his knee in the pre-season and didn't play a game this year, will be vying for the starting spot with new recruits Ryan Carr and Justin Hunt, who both played for Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup this year.
Despite playing in South Sydney's under-20s grand final team last year, Reynolds is no certainty to fill Sandow's shoes, with Maguire indicating all players in the squad would start pre-season training on level ground. ''At the moment I don't have any names,'' Maguire said, when asked who was the leading contender to play halfback next year.
Maguire was also keen to gain a greater understanding of the Rabbitohs' proud history and suggested he could turn to club legend George Piggins, who dissociated himself from the Bunnies when Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court gained ownership of the club in 2006. ''At some stage I'll probably talk to George,'' Maguire said. ''I would love to learn more about the history of Souths.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz1cMe7Pxqc
